Sidelined football star James Lawton dubbed Corowa-Rutherglen one of his worst clubs, prior to the decision not to further appeal his contract dispute. The Border Mail spoke to Lawton last Thursday when AFL North East Border decided his Roos’ contract was valid. He was unable to be contacted yesterday following Mansfield’s decision not to appeal to AFL Victoria. “At the time I was there, it was probably one of the worst clubs I’ve played at,” he said. “I heard a lot of things about Corowa before I took the gamble, but I took the gamble. “Everything I was warned about being pretty (much) on the money.” Corowa-Rutherglen was contacted yesterday and said it will look to make a public comment at some stage. Meanwhile, Lawton opened up last week as he faces sitting out the season. “It’s just a big part of my personality being a footballer,” he said. “I feel like it’s a big part of who I am. “I love taking the kids down to the footy and just hoping to push them into that active lifestyle and how good football clubs can be for people and how good being part of a sporting club is. “I just feel like it’s slipping away from me this year.” Lawton maintains someone involved with the Roos has been telling people he was set to return. “I haven’t been in contact with (coach) Marc Almond for a month, I haven’t been in contact with the football club for a month,” he said. Lawton made those comments prior to travelling to Corowa on Sunday to discuss the matter with Almond and officials. Meanwhile, Brent Rose, whose contract with the Roos was also deemed valid, will quit the sport. “If I don’t get cleared, I’m not going to play footy at Corowa, I’m going to move home and play Rugby League,” he said. “The only reason I started playing Aussie Rules was (my home club) the Narrandera Lizards got kicked out of the comp and now they’re back in the comp, I was always going to go back and play rugby.” Both Lawton and Rose’s defence for quitting the Roos during their two-year deals was they’re based in Mansfield. “The employment here is too good to refuse,” Lawton said. Mansfield maintains it never chased the players. “A couple of them (at the Roos) understand what they’re doing to those two young blokes,” president Dennis Sheahan said.